Television hit Downton Abbey helps save the real stately home where it is filmed - Telegraph TV and Radio Television hit Downton Abbey helps save the real stately home where it is filmed The runaway success of the period drama Downton Abbey has led to a revival in the nation's interest in all things Edwardian. The cast of Downton Abbey assembled in front of Highclere House Photo: ITV By Richard Alleyne and Laura Roberts 7:00PM BST 17 Oct 2010 Now its also leading to a revival in the fortunes of the magnificent house in which it is set. Highclere Castle, the 'High Elizabethan' style pile, is undergoing a much needed £11m refurbishment to restore it to its former glory thanks to the renewed interest in the 50 room mansion sparked by the ITV show. Lord and Lady Carnarvon the real owners of the home near Newbury, Berkshire, have taken the bold step after being inundated with requests to come to see the home, which is the centre piece of the Sunday night drama penned by Oscar-winning writer Julian Fellowes.

The drama portrays the upstairs downstairs lifestyle played out by members of the Crawleys, an aristocratic family, and their servants on the eve of the First World War. Such is its success that the Earl and Countess of Carnarvon expect a surge in visitor numbers when they open to the public again next year which will be put towards the refurbishment costs. They will also use the fee they receive for hiring out the house for a second series of the programme. Related Articles Sculptor creates giant 'tree spirit' at Stately home Cragside House 18 Oct 2010 The countess has already restored one of her dressing rooms and hopes to carry out further restoration work once Downton Abbey launches in the United States in January. Despite the sumptuous indoor sets and outdoor set pieces, the reality is that Highclere Castle is in desperate need of care and attention. Some of the turrets at Highclere are crumbling, the roof is leaking and many of the rooms need attention. So, too, does the original carriage entrance. “We are delighted the show is so popular,” said the countess. “I’ve been monitoring internet traffic to our website and it has shot up since the opening episode.

“A boom in visitor numbers from tourists around the world would really help us to maintain what is really a beautiful building in one of the most scenic areas of southern England.” Parts of Highclere date back to the 14th century. The house was remodelled by Sir Charles Barry, the architect, in 1839 after he had completed the Houses of Parliament. The opening episode of Downton Abbey drew more than 11 million viewers when it was screened last month. It has been so successful that ITV has announced they have commissioned a second series. Fellowes, the actor and writer who won an Academy Award for the film Gosforth Park, said he was delighted that the house was benefiting. "It's a wonderful house and wonderful statement of what the English thought of themselves. You can't fake the kind of history that you get in this type of house. It would costs the entire budget if you tried to construct a library like the one at Highclere. The house is the main character. We wanted a house that was distinctive – not one that could be mixed up with all these Jane Austen adaptations." He said that the house had had its own influence on the drama.

"All the Carnarvons' ancestors have become the ancestors of the family at Downton," he said. "I had always wanted the series to be set at Highclere and I took the director there myself so I was delighted that the decision was made to have it there." Parts of Highclere Castle originate from the 14th century. The house was re-­modelled by architect Sir Charles Barry in 1839 after he had completed the Houses of Parliament. It was once home to George Edward Stanhope Molyneux Herbert, 5th Earl of Carnarvon, who financed Howard Carter’s discovery of the tomb of King Tutankhamen in Egypt in 1922. He died a year later from an infected mosquito bite, a victim of the so-called pharaoh’s curse. Earlier this year the Carnarvons had to fend off approaches from composer Lord Lloyd-­Webber, who expressed an interest in buying Highclere to house his £100 million art collection.

Downton Abbey stately home raking in £40,000 thanks to the hit show - Mirror Online TV Downton Abbey stately home raking in £40,000 thanks to the hit show The Berkshire mansion used for the hit ITV show was facing a huge repair bill but it now enjoying a new lease of life Share Boost: Downton Abbey has provided a huge boost to the stately home where it is filmed (Photo: Carnival Films) Share Get celebs updates directly to your inbox + Subscribe Thank you for subscribing! Could not subscribe, try again laterInvalid Email The stately home used for TV blockbuster Downton Abbey is raking in £40,000-a-day thanks to the show. In 2009, the firm which runs Highclere Castle had a paltry £1,022 in its coffers. The huge Berkshire mansion was facing a £11.75million repair bill, including £1.8million for urgent work on the main house. But the huge appeal of Lady Grantham and her family has brought visitors pouring in from around the world - especially America.

Ratings boom: Highclere Castle in Berkshire (Photo: PA) And it has given the Gothic castle a new lease of life, enabling the repairs to be carried out with money to spare. Highclere Enterprises LPP now has a healthy £360,611 of cash in its coffers after paying some of its huge debt. Downton fans are boosting the coffers by a whopping £40,000-a-day, according to accounts. Fans from as far afield as Australia are coming to Highclere to tour the lavish rooms and spectacular grounds seen on the hit ITV1 period drama. Their appetite for the £20-a-head tickets is being further fuelled by a popular internet blog by Lady Carnarvon - the real lady of the manor - who shares intimate secrets of daily life there. The home hosts up to 1,200 visitors a day in summer. They must all buy their admission tickets in advance to control numbers. But with each tourist spending a modest £10 on top in the tea room or gift shop, the tills are ringing to the tune of £40,000-a-day.

New faces: Richard E Grant joins the cast for the fifth series (Photo: © Carnival Film & Television Ltd) Downton Abbey effect: Hit TV show pushes up prices of stately homes | Daily Mail Online comments Hit TV series Downton Abbey has influenced fashion on the high street and changed our perceptions of how many advert breaks are acceptable... But now the show is now being credited with something even more unexpected: pushing up house prices. Julian Fellowes' show, which is filmed at Highclere Castle in Berkshire, has apparently sparked a surge in interest in historic houses - and a steep price rise for any being sold. One mansion in South Wales built more than 500 years ago has gone on the market at nearly double the price it fetched two years ago. A fine investment: Plas Cilybebyl was bought for £1.4m two years ago, it is now on the market for £2.7 The grand Plas Cilybebyll near Swansea is a country home harking back to the Downton Abbey days of master and servant. Now the home, that was once the opulent seat of the gentry, has gone on the market for £2.7m.

That’s a hefty mark-up on a property - set in two acres of gardens and boasting an indoor pool, a jacuzzi and tennis courts - which only two years ago was sold for £1.4m. A local estate agent said: 'A programme as popular as Downton Abbey is bound to have an effect on the interest in these sort of properties. Heavenly hose: The mansion, near Swanea, has its own walled garden Pool party: The manor has many mod cons including this pool and jacuzzi, it is presently used for events 'Even at the higher end of the market, trends and fashion count.' Plas Cilybebyll is owned by properly company Amazing Retreats who rent the nine-bed mansion out for special occasions such as weddings and anniversaries. But the company say extensive renovation work justifies nearly doubling the price. Marketing manager Brooke White said: 'It is a very special properly. We would rent it for a weekend and have a butler, maid and staff in there.' Sparking a trend: Downton Abbey is filmed at Highclere Castle in Berkshire Conservationist Michael Tree added: 'It’s been sumptuously renovated and appears to be in immaculate condition.

'It’s somewhat typical of the country houses that used to be found throughout the country - many of which now are derelict and even more have been demolished.' Highclere too was falling into disrepair before Downton's production company came along. It has now been turned into one of the most instantly-recognisable stately homes in the UK. Top Downton Abbey London Locations - Things To Do - visitlondon.com Top Downton Abbey London Locations Email Facebook Twitter Google+ Follow in the footsteps of the Crawleys with our top London locations for Downton Abbey lovers. As the sixth and final season of Downton Abbey airs we take a look at key London locations from past episodes of the popular television show, from the romantic spot where Lady Edith and Michael Gregson dined, to Lady Rose’s night-time hangouts. Get Down With Downton Downtown Abbey is actually Highclere Castle in Hampshire; while the shots of Downton village are filmed in rural Oxfordshire. You can take a Downton Abbey tour from London to see the Oxfordshire villages, the filming locations for Downton Place and the home of Dowager Countess Violet Crawley, where you can enjoy afternoon tea in the Downton Room.

Alternatively, visit one of London’s historic houses, palaces or stately homes to soak up some period style. Violet would feel right at home at Apsley House with its glorious artworks, while the younger Crawleys would enjoy the more modern tastes of the art-deco-inspired Eltham Palace . Follow in the footsteps of Lady Rose MacClare during her ‘coming out’ at Buckingham Palace in the 2013 Christmas special – although in reality the scenes were shot at nearby Lancaster House. If you’d like to experience life like the gentry, why not book a room at one of London’s grand hotels , where you’ll feel like a lord or lady for the night. For a real taste of everyday life head to The Geffrye, Museum of the Home , which has rooms set up the way the middle class would have decorated their homes at the time. Examine Matthew’s Front Line Life If you were captivated by Matthew Crawley and Thomas Barrow’s struggles amid the horrific conditions of the First World War trenches during the battle of the Somme, visit the Imperial War Museum to uncover similar stories of those on the front line.

The museum’s First World War Galleries include moving personal anecdotes of life both at war and on the home front. Have A Night Out Like Lady Rose The young ones often go ‘up to Town’ for a night out; none more so than wild child Lady Rose. She's fond of Soho jazz clubs , where she has occasionally got into scrapes and misadventures with men. Lady Edith has had her own fun in the capital. After a whirlwind romance with Michael Gregson while in Scotland she travelled to London to meet her lover at Kings Cross Station (actually filmed at neighbouring St Pancras International Station ). They later dined at the Criterion Restaurant, where Michael told Edith of his plans to divorce his wife. Characters also dined at historic London restaurants Rules and Simpson's-in-the-Strand during season five. Rub Shoulders With The Stars If you’re a Hugh Bonneville (Lord Grantham) fan, and want a memento of Lord Grantham, take a selfie with the lifelike wax figure of Bonneville at Madame Tussauds . Lady Rosamund Painswick is everyone’s favourite aunt; sophisticated, trustworthy and fun.

Catch a glimpse of the outside of her home at Eaton Square or go to nearby Belgrave Square where the interior scenes were shot. Be A Follower Of Fashion Get kitted out like Lord Grantham with a visit to a traditional boutique or male grooming shop along Jermyn Street , or one of the many tailors in Savile Row . Ladies, meanwhile, can marvel at the fashion of the era at the Victoria and Albert Museum , which also houses fascinating period objects such as jewellery and porcelain. Follow Lady Sibyl’s Interests Lady Sibyl was never one to shy away from standing up for her beliefs. One of her passions was women’s rights, and she became a member of The Suffragettes – learn more about this movement at the Museum of London . Horrified by the suffering of the wounded during the war, Sibyl nursed the sick as Downton Abbey was turned into a makeshift ward in series two. Discover more about nursing and the life of the world’s most celebrated nurse with a trip to the Florence Nightingale Museum .

Series Six London Locations 8 British Stereotypes – and Why They’re Not Entirely Accurate Given the glimpse that stately homes offer into a world of decadence and luxury that few of us will ever experience first-hand, it’s no surprise that National Trust memberships are more popular than ever, with millions of us each year flocking to this remarkable, nationwide collection of the country’s best houses — many of which have changed little since the days of their former glory. In this article, we provide an introduction to the fascinating world of the stately home, exploring some of the things that make them so endlessly intriguing. A brief history of the English stately home Earlier castles like Harlech, built in the 1280s, were designed for defensive purposes rather than for comfort, though they also played a role as status symbols. The English stately home as we know it today developed from Medieval fortified castles, which, by the Elizabethan period, had evolved to focus on comfort rather than defence. The most prolific period of country house building took place in the 18th century, a period that spawned some of Britain’s most famous and best-loved houses.

These great houses were built to impress and entertain important guests, and as time went on and aristocrats strove to out-do each other in the opulence of their houses, a number of architectural styles went in and out of fashion, resulting in a rich variety of designs. The houses were extravagantly decorated with tapestries, art and ornate furniture, with French and Italian furnishings particularly fashionable. During the 19th century, it became popular for English landowners to go on a ‘Grand Tour’ of Italy and Greece, and this had a major impact on the architectural styles we see in country houses of this period. Neoclassical designs, with columns reminiscent of Greek and Roman temples and public buildings, became the vogue, and it was popular to have pretend temples in the grounds as ‘follies’ (impressive structures or faux-ruins designed for architectural show rather than serving a practical purpose). The influence of Ancient Greece and Rome was also felt in the decor of these houses, with ancient sculptures and vases plundered from archaeological sites in the Mediterranean brought back to grace the rooms and gardens of the country’s wealthiest aristocrats.

It was the First World War that was to spell the beginning of a period of decline for the English stately home. The war brought huge changes to society, with the class system having had a thorough shaking up as aristocratic gentlemen fought side by side with their servants. The war also saw many English stately homes serving a new purpose, being turned into hospitals or convalescent homes for injured soldiers. In the wake of the Great War, and with the introduction of inheritance tax, many landowners could no longer afford the upkeep of their estates, which were consequently broken up, their opulent furnishings auctioned off and the houses themselves demolished. Luckily, plenty of these magnificent houses survive because their owners bequeathed them to the National Trust, and they’re now thriving tourist attractions. Others have been turned into hotels, still others into flats, and some are now owned by modern-day celebrities. Some are even still lived in today by their original families, though the owners usually occupy only part of the house (as many are open to the public to fund their upkeep), and the huge teams of servants that characterised the heyday of the stately home are now largely consigned to history. What was the stately home intended to say about its owner?

Blenheim Palace is the ancestral home of the Churchill family. Britain’s magnificent stately houses were not just built as homes; they were power symbols. Owned and occupied by the country’s leading noblemen, they were a visual statement of the landowner’s power and status, and competition was rife to build bigger and better houses in which to entertain and impress. Many of these landowners were politicians, whose houses provided a less formal setting for the discussion of the political issues of the day, and many of them also owned property in London in addition to their country pile. Stately homes were not just the reflection of the person who owned them, though — they were the focus of entire communities of people and formed a vital part of the local economy, providing jobs for local villagers and labourers, and owning much of the land on which crops were cultivated and livestock supported to feed the nation. Life in the English stately home Viewers of ‘Downton Abbey’ – filmed at Highclere Castle – will be familiar with the social politics of the stately home. Life in the English stately home was rigidly hierarchical, both upstairs and downstairs.

A large team of servants was responsible for the day-to-day running and upkeep of the house, with a strictly defined social structure ranging from the kitchen or scullery maid at the bottom to the butler and housekeeper at the top. Gentlemen’s valets, ladies’ maids and private tutors were also near the top of the servants’ pecking order, as they mixed far more with the family upstairs, while several ranks of footman and housemaid formed the large part of the servant population. A cook — or in some households, a top chef — would be the most important person in the kitchen, and would often have a team of kitchen assistants to help in the preparation of the elaborate meals demanded by the family upstairs. In addition to house staff, large stately homes also employed a team of gardeners and groundskeepers, chauffeurs and grooms. Upstairs, the male landowner was the head of the house, with the eldest male son being his heir and therefore the next most important person in the house. Unmarried daughters, and even sisters of the landowner or his wife, would often reside in the house, and the latter in particular were sadly viewed as the least socially important members of the family.

Who’s who in the world of stately homes? The fashion for English stately homes saw numerous architects and landscapers rise to lasting fame. Here are just a few of the famous names you should be aware of. The work of Inigo Jones, painted here by Sir Anthony Van Dyck, can be seen at Milton Manor House near Oxford. Recognised as the first major architect of the modern era, Inigo Jones applied the principles of proportion and symmetry laid down by the Roman architect Vitruvius to the buildings he designed. Perhaps his most notable achievement is Whitehall in London. Sir John Vanbrugh (1664-1726) The architectural genius behind Castle Howard and Blenheim Palace, Sir John Vanbrugh was a noted playwright when he decided to turn his attention to architecture, a career change that provoked comment at the time, but resulted in some of Britain’s most popular stately homes. Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown (1716-1783) The original landscape gardener, Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown rose to fortune in the 18th century and is responsible for some of the country’s most impressive gardens, including those of Blenheim Palace and Warwick Castle.

His famous nickname arose not because of his obvious capabilities in the garden department, but because of his habit of telling clients that their estates had great “capability” for improvement. Sir Edwin Landseer Lutyens (1869-1944) Sometimes referred to as “the greatest British architect”, Lutyens was responsible for the design of a great many of Britain’s country houses, and was known for bringing traditional architectural styles up-to-date to meet the needs of the time. The stately home in popular culture today Chatsworth House has been repeatedly used as Mr Darcy’s country house, Pemberley, in TV and film adaptations of Pride and Prejudice. Today’s popular culture has gone a long way towards fuelling the public interest in stately homes. We Brits love a good costume drama, and that means that the English country house is something we’re frequently exposed to without necessarily even consciously realising it. Many of the country’s best-loved period dramas, such as Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility, depict life in the English stately home to a greater or lesser degree. P.G.

Wodehouse’s much-loved series of Jeeves and Wooster books — and their subsequent TV adaptations starring Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie in the title roles — are set in the heydey of the English country house, a time when (for aristocrats) life was one long series of shooting weekends and lavish parties given in a different fine house each week. Most recently, the phenomenal success of ITV’s Downton Abbey has demonstrated the enduring appeal of the English stately home as we follow the fortunes of the Crawley family and their plethora of servants in the fictional world set in real-life Highclere Castle. But Downton is by no means the first house to take a starring role in a TV series or book. Arguably the most famous is Brideshead in Evelyn Waugh’s Brideshead Revisited, later adapted into a hugely popular television series starring Jeremy Irons. Though Brideshead, like Downton, focused on the family who owned it, a recurring theme throughout the book was the decline of these great English stately houses. Its protagonist, Charles Ryder, makes a living by painting these homes before they were demolished.

Julian Fellowes’ pre-Downton offering, a film by the name of Gosford Park, brought to life another aspect of what many people enjoy about English country houses — murder mystery. Depicting an aristocratic dinner party at a stunning stately home, Gosford Park is a good old-fashioned ‘whodunit’ that plays to the public’s taste for intrigue, particularly in the context of the opulence and luxury enjoyed by the upper classes. It’s even possible these days to participate in murder mystery weekends at country houses that have been converted into hotels — the closest any of us is likely to come to finding out what aristocratic life was like in Britain’s greatest houses. What to look out for when you visit a stately home The dining room at Chatsworth House. There’s so much to see when you visit any of Britain’s stately homes that the experience can be a little overwhelming, so here are a few things you should look out for as you make your way around the house and grounds of the estates you visit. – The ‘State’ rooms — these were the grandest rooms of the house, designed to accommodate important visitors (sometimes even royalty ).

These were the focal point of the ‘upstairs’ part of the house, richly decorated with priceless works of art and designed to impress. – The artwork — you’ll notice a huge number of paintings adorning the walls of any stately home, and among them there can be some examples of very famous artists — Rembrandt, Rubens, Stubbs…the list goes on, so look out for famous names among the artists decorating the state rooms. – The kitchens — the ‘downstairs’ part of the house is often every bit as interesting as upstairs — this is where the nitty gritty of running the house took place. Look out for different rooms used to store various kinds of food in the days before fridges. – The ice house — in the days before fridges and freezers, most stately homes had an ‘ice house’ in the garden. These look a little like grass-covered igloos on the surface, and these structures cover a deep, concrete-lined pit in which ice would be kept frozen. Over the winter, ditches would be dug out in the fields and filled with water, which would then freeze. The ice would then be harvested and layered between straw in the ice house.

The ice would remain frozen for many months and would be used in the kitchen to store perishable foods and to make ice creams and sorbets. Stately homes you must visit Castle Howard was designed by Sir John Vanbrugh, the architect also responsible for Blenheim Palace. Hopefully this short introduction to the fascinating world of the English stately home has made you want to visit a few, so here is a brief list of must-see stately homes. – Highclere Castle — also known as Downton Abbey, this architectural tour de force is in fact located in Berkshire, not Yorkshire as depicted in the popular series. – Chatsworth — this Derbyshire stately home featured in the recent big-screen adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, and is frequently voted Britain’s favourite stately home. – Castle Howard — said by some to be the inspiration for Brideshead Revisited, and playing the part of Brideshead in the TV adaptation, this grand home in North Yorkshire is set in a thousand acres of stunning grounds.

– Hampton Court — half Tudor in style and half Baroque owing to a period of inactivity during its building, this royal residence in Richmond-upon-Thames is one of only two of Henry VIII’s surviving palaces. – Brighton Pavilion — this bizarre, Oriental-themed pleasure palace was built for George, Prince of Wales (later George IV), and as well as featuring some highly unusual architecture (notably its famous onion-shaped domes), also has magnificent kitchens in which huge meals were prepared by famous French chefs of the day. – Blenheim Palace — the birthplace of wartime Prime Minister Winston Churchill, Blenheim Palace is an exceptionally grand stately home on the outskirts of Woodstock in Oxfordshire. – Longleat House — famous for its adjoining safari park and eccentric landowner, Lord Bath, this Elizabethan country house in Wiltshire is a superb and early example of the then-new style of English stately home. – Warwick Castle — part Medieval castle, part stately home, Warwick Castle has come a long way since the original structure built by William the Conqueror.

Now owned by the company behind Madam Tussauds, and marketed as Britain’s “Ultimate Castle”, the main living quarters of the castle feature waxwork models bringing to life an opulent Victorian weekend party. Your email will not be shared and you can unsubscribe whenever you want with a simple click. 2 Responses to “The Enduring Appeal of the English Stately Home: from Medieval Castles to Downton Abbey” December 18, 2013 at 8:16 pm, Filippo Genovese said: A pleasant-to-read article for its focus on different aspects of these jewels of the English countryside architecture.It has brought back sweet memories of interesting excursions with my students, whose attention I was able to fix on peculiar aspects that would stimulate their otherwise more down-to-earth interests.

Downton Abbey: 'Highclere Castle was a healing house during the war' - Telegraph Downton Abbey Downton Abbey: 'Highclere Castle was a healing house during the war' Lady Carnarvon explains why she is inviting Germans to a commemorative First World War event at Highclere Castle, the 'home' of Downton Abbey Image 1 of 2 The Countess of Carnarvon in the grounds of Highclere Castle Photo: GEOFF PUGH FOR THE TELEGRAPH Follow The Germans are coming to Downton. No need to arm the servants, though: they have an invitation. “The first people I invited were the Germans and the Austrians,” says Fiona, Countess of Carnarvon, the real-life lady of the stately home where the popular period drama Downton Abbey is filmed. She is planning a spectacular family event at Highclere Castle in Berkshire that will mix fact and fiction to commemorate the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War and raise money for those suffering due to conflicts today.

Unusually for such an event, there will be German biplanes in the air, vintage German military vehicles on the ground and representatives of the highest echelons of German society alongside those from Britain and other countries. That would scare the upstairs-downstairs out of Downton’s fictional Lady Cora, but Lady Carnarvon says: “They lost millions of men. I gather their cemeteries were not as well cared for as ours.” She was inspired by her predecessor Lady Almina, who opened up Highclere to be a military hospital during the First World War; just like the one Lady Cora allowed in Downton, in fact. It’s easy to get confused standing outside the magnificent Victorian castle designed by Sir Charles Barry and finished in 1878. Here are the rolling parklands modelled by Capability Brown, through which the Earl of Grantham strolled in the opening sequence of Downton Abbey when it was first broadcast in 2010, before going on to achieve a worldwide audience of around 120 million.

Here in the grand entrance hall is a pair of carved wyverns, symbols of the real Earl of Carnarvon’s family, who have lived here since 1679. Here, too, is Lady Carnarvon, a striking woman in her forties who could be one of the elegant Downton ladies but for her biker jacket and modern attitude. Even she gets confused. Leading the way to the Arundel Room on the first floor, which was used as an operating theatre in 1914 but had a more glamorous role on television, she says: “They used this as the bedroom for . . . I get them all mixed up . . . who is the one who didn’t die? Lady Edith? They painted it a different colour, very dark. It looked good on film, but not in real life. So we painted it back again when they had gone – 17 layers of paint.” Related Articles Downton Abbey castle nearly lost after tax bill 02 Oct 2013 Not so long ago, Lady Carnarvon received a touching note of sympathy for her recent loss.

“I got a letter saying, ‘We are writing to commiserate you on the death of your daughter, Sybil.’ How can you respond to that?” She does not have a daughter called Sybil. For those who have inexplicably found better things to do on Sunday nights over the past four years, Lady Sybil is a Downton Abbey character who died after giving birth. “The letter came from America,” says Lady Carnarvon. “I didn’t reply, I’m afraid. I do try to write back to all letters, but in this case I did not know how to.” Elizabeth McGovern, who plays Lady Cora in the programme, will appear with her band Sadie and the Hot Rods at the Heroes at Highclere event on August 3. Other members of the cast are expected to be there, too, among a crowd of 15,000. Lord Carey, the former Archbishop of Canterbury, will lead a memorial service with the Military Wives choir. The Army and the RAF will be there in force. The X Factor winner Alexandra Burke will perform. There will be a fairground, hot-air balloon flights and talks by the likes of the former BBC war correspondent Kate Adie.

Proceeds will go to Combat Stress, ABF The Soldiers’ Charity, Oxfam and other charities helping people survive the conflict in Syria. The Red Devils will parachute in, a Spitfire will fly over and biplanes will circle each other in a First World War dogfight with a difference. “Nobody wins, nobody loses,” says Lady Carnarvon. “We are in 2014.” The Germans are not often asked to such events, she says, but society links made it easier to extend the invitation. “A friend of mine knew the Austrian ambassador, another friend knew the German ambassador, so they introduced me.” What did she say to them? “That I would like us to stand together on the edge of a tremendous tragedy and remember all those people who died, and see what we could do for today. Their response was, ‘What an amazing offer – we’d love to be involved.’” She has visited other embassies to enlist as many of the former combatant nations as possible. “I am trying to tread carefully, I have no wish to offend anyone,” she says. “The First World War was a tragedy for all sides, costing millions of men’s lives.

They were injured, they were homeless, they were refugees, as people are now in Syria. I’m not interested in the blame or the causes, as that is not going to help us today.” The German football club Bayer Leverkusen will send a team to play against former England internationals in honour of the soldiers on both sides who, on Christmas Day 1914, emerged from the trenches to kick a ball about together. “This was a humanitarian and healing house during the First World War, so that was my starting point,” says Lady Carnarvon. “You would have pitched up here in an old army ambulance if you were wounded. You would have been carried upstairs by a couple of footmen to one of the really comfortable bedrooms.” Lady Almina acted as head matron to 30 nurses, dressed in strawberry uniforms. “She liked pretty nurses, because she thought the men would get better quicker.” The household staff did their bit. “You would have had a very good breakfast and been offered various newspapers in bed by the butler. You were made to feel better in body and soul.

You had all the best food, with lots of vegetables, wines, brandy and whisky.” There were 20 or 30 men here at a time. “A few died, but overall Lady Almina’s nursing record was extraordinary.” Did you have to be an officer to get in? “Yes, because they were divided into officers and non-officers. It seems terribly strange to me now, but that’s how it was.” Fiona used to be an auditor at Coopers & Lybrand before she married Geordie, the Eighth Earl of Carnarvon, in 1996. They took over Highclere after his father died in 2001. How long did it take her to find her way around? “Blooming ages. We found a staircase we had not noticed two years ago.” How many rooms are there? “I don’t know exactly. About 300, I think. We did start to count one day, but the children got bored.” If that makes Lady Carnarvon sound like one of the floaty aristos in Downton, forget it.

Her business acumen was already pulling Highclere out of a financial nosedive before her friend Julian Fellowes decided to write a TV series with the house in mind. ITV was reported to have paid £750,000 a series, but she has said the true fee is a fraction of that. “They quite rightly said, ‘Well, it is great for your marketing.’” Indeed, visitor numbers have soared – at least 1,400 people come every day. “Visit Britain told my husband it would have a very positive effect for us for 25 years, which will certainly see Geordie and I out.” Filming for series five resumes on Tuesday. “The first thing we have to do is remove our personal items and photographs. Downton do use a lot of our furniture, so when visitors come round they can see, ‘That’s where Maggie Smith sits.’” Some things are too precious, though, says Lady Carnarvon, showing an elegant desk and chair that once belonged to Napoleon. “This is the most important piece of furniture in the house. It is carefully removed.” The contents of the house are remarkably intact.

“Because it has not changed hands for centuries, it has not been usurped by different people’s instant tastes. It is an example of that typically English accretion of art and style.” There is some irony in a titled woman with such an impressive – and famous – home urging others to be more charitable; but Lady Carnarvon has a track record of trying to do good. Heroes at Highclere is just the next step up. “This is not a political house,” she says. “It is just a house that many people have grown to love. I hope that we can use that now to help others.” * 'Heroes at Highclere' is on August 3 (01635 253204, highclerecastleshop.co.uk ). ‘Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey’, by Lady Carnarvon, is available from Telegraph Books at £9.99 + £1.10 p&p.

To order, call 0844 871 1514 or visit books.telegraph.co.uk * Watch Lady Carnarvon discuss how Highclere Castle played its part in the First World War: telegraph.co.uk/video How ITV's hit show saved the real Downton Abbey: Visitors surge funds repairs at crumbling stately home | Daily Mail Online comments Millions of us were gripped by the exploits of the Crawley family on the Christmas Day special of Downton Abbey last night. In just three years, the trials and tribulations of the Edwardian gentry and their below-stairs staff have made the show one of the most popular period dramas ever made. But its success has also had a dramatic impact on the lives of those living inside the ‘real’ Downton. Family seat: Lord and Lady Carnarvon of Highclere Castle, location for the television series Downton Abbey While the fictional Earl of Grantham struggled to keep hold of his ancestral home, things have never looked better for the owners of Highclere Castle, where the ITV drama is filmed.

Before Downton hit our screens, the 8th Earl and Countess of Carnarvon admitted their Berkshire estate needed £11.75million worth of repairs, including £1.8million of urgent work on the main house. RELATED ARTICLES Share this article Share Ravaged by damp and rot, at least 50 rooms were uninhabitable and its stone turrets were falling into disrepair. But after their friend, writer and producer Julian Fellowes, asked if he could film his new period drama at Highclere, it has become one of Britain’s best-known stately homes. As many as 1,200 visitors a day descended on the house in the summer, enabling the owners to begin major repairs. On the small screen: Highclere Castle in the background for a promotion photo for ITV's Downton Abbey Lord Carnarvon, 55, said the show had ‘taken the pressure off’ for them financially. He said: ‘At the time that we were approached about Downton, it was just after the banking crisis and it was gloom in all directions. We had been doing corporate functions, but it all became pretty sparse after that.

‘Then Downton came along and we became a major tourist attraction. It has been a wonderful thing for us and our visitor numbers have doubled.’ Redundant buildings have been turned into tearooms and a three-year project to fix those distinctive turrets is finally under way. The only man who might be disappointed by news of Highclere’s success is Lord Lloyd-Webber. When the composer heard the family needed money for repairs, he offered to buy the property to house his art collection. It was a move that still rankles with Lady Carnarvon, 48. ‘We were completely astounded,’ she said. ‘I thought it was incredibly rude actually. It comes back to the old saying that an Englishman’s home is his castle. Geordie [the earl] loves this house, we all do and it is not for sale.’ Figures show the Carnarvons’ limited liability partnership Highclere Enterprises had cash assets of £329,685 for the year ending September 2011, compared with just £121,118 for 2010. But Lady Carnarvon is not taking anything for granted.

She said: ‘Any bit of money we make here goes back into making another set of curtains or something like that. I enjoy that. If I wanted to have Manolo Blahnik shoes and a big flat in London then I would have married the wrong man, but if I want beautiful views and to walk through fields, then that’s what Highclere gives us.’ Helping hand: The television series about the Crawley family at Downton Abbey has given new life to Highclere, boosting visitors numbers and allowed much needed repairs Highclere, which has been home to the Carnarvon family since 1679, was redesigned by architect Sir Charles Barry in the 19th century after he finished work on the Houses of Parliament. Yet it was not until 2009, when the first series of Downton hit our screens, that it was propelled to international fame. Today, it is used to promote Visit Britain’s campaign in the United States. The family moved into the main house from a cottage on the estate when the 7th Earl died in 2001. They now split their time between the two properties, leaving the main house during summer when it is open to the public.

Lady Carnarvon said: ‘It is not an ivory tower. It is lived in and we hope that makes it more interesting to visitors.’ Extraordinarily, Lady Carnarvon says she has no idea how many rooms there are in their house. ‘I don’t know’, she says. ‘The archivist said there are between 200 and 300 rooms and 50 to 80 bedrooms.’ She did start counting one day with her son and nephew, but lost count after 13 rooms. ‘We started at the top of the first tower and counted coming down but when we got to the bottom the boys were bored and it was their holidays so we abandoned it.’ For now, the Carnarvons are too busy creating new business ventures to re-count the rooms. The series has led to a flurry of bookings for weddings and private events. Lady Carnarvon said: ‘We are lucky that people love Downton Abbey at the moment and that we have had three series, but I don’t think we take anything for granted. ‘I still wake up having a panic in the middle of the night about all sorts.

I don’t assume it stays around.’ How Downton Abbey helped to rescue Highclere Castle from ruin | Television & radio | The Guardian The Observer How Downton Abbey helped to rescue Highclere Castle from ruin Tourist cash from the TV drama, now starting its final series, has funded repairs at Highclere Castle, where it is filmed The Downton Abbey cast gather in front of Highclere Castle as they prepare for the final series. Photograph: Nick Briggs/ITV Saturday 19 September 2015 07.59 EDT Last modified on Saturday 19 September 2015 19.07 EDT Close This article is 1 year old An atmosphere of melancholy and changing times pervades the opening to the final series of Downton Abbey on Sunday evening. The year is 1925 and there are already the first rumblings of the economic storms that will blight the end of the decade. The neighbours are selling up their own stately home, while Lord Grantham seeks to cut back on servants after declaring that under-butlers are no longer affordable.

But at the real Downton Abbey , Highclere Castle – a stately pile owned by George “Geordie” Herbert, 8th Earl of Carnarvon – the financial outlook has rarely been brighter. The huge global success of Downton, according to Lady Fiona Carnarvon, has funded a rolling programme of building repairs aimed at safeguarding Highclere for the next generation. “It’s been an amazing magic carpet ride for all of us,” she said. “It’s given us a wonderful marketing platform, an international profile. I’m hugely grateful. My husband and I love it, and the people here. Now, without doubt, it is loved by millions of other people.” Currently only the ground and first floors of Highclere, on the borders of Hampshire, are used. But a restoration project of derelict tower rooms began this year that will eventually allow visitors to climb up into the tower to an exhibition showcasing the work of the architect of the Houses of Parliament, Sir Charles Barry, who rebuilt the house in 1839-42. The once derelict London Lodge, a grand Roman-style archway from 1793, is now a bijou holiday let alongside other spruced-up cottages.

When the Downton Abbey producers first approached Highclere in 2009, the family faced a near £12m repair bill, with urgent work priced at £1.8m. But by 2012 the Downton effect had begun to take the pressure off. Lord Carnarvon said then: “It was just after the banking crisis and it was gloom in all directions. We had been doing corporate functions, but it all became pretty sparse after that. Then Downton came along and it became a major tourist attraction.” Visitor numbers doubled, to 1,200 a day, as Downton Abbey, scripted by Julian Fellowes, came to be screened around the world after becoming a hit in the UK in 2010 and then in the US. It is now broadcast in 250 countries. The formerly somewhat basic ticketing policy has become a computerised advance booking system, helping to guarantee foreign visitors admission. The accounts of Highclere Enterprises for 2014-15 show current assets have almost trebled to around £1m since 2012.

Gareth Neame, the series’ executive producer, said: “I think Downton Abbey secured Highclere’s future.” Peter Fincham, ITV’s director of television, recalls the moment when Highclere was booked. “I thought, ‘So what?’, because I had never heard of Highclere Castle. One stately home looks much the same as another. How wrong I was. The castle has been one enormous character as well.” The Downton tourists are part of a growing phenomenon. VisitBritain estimates that nearly 30% of foreign visitors, or nearly nine million people, include castles and historic houses on their itineraries. Almost half of potential visitors to Britain now say they want to indulge in “set jetting”, visiting places featured in films or on TV. More than a million embark on a tour of historic buildings each year, spending inexcess of £1bn. From the biggest emerging tourist markets, 51% of Brazilians, 42% of Russians and Chinese, and 35% of Indian visitors are likely to include a visit to a site of interest in their trips.

VisitBritain’s director, Patricia Yates, said: “The links between tourism, films and TV are potent ones.” She added that period dramas have also raised the popularity of regions outside of London. Neame is now an ambassador for the GREAT Britain campaign, which is backed by government departments and the British Council, using it to promote the UK around the world. Events include special Downton-themed receptions at British embassies. Neame said: “They approached me because of the reach. A lot of people here think of it as soapy entertainment. In other parts of the world people revere our actors, our writing and production talent. It is something I am passionate about; I am a really strong believer in soft power. We are not nearly as proud of our achievements as we should be. “It [Downton Abbey] is iconic for expressing Britishness. Really it is a fantasy world, based in a particular time in history. It’s the first TV period drama that has really leaped out of the screen and become part of popular culture.” Lady Carnarvon is still keen to emphasise that the long-term future of Highclere is not necessarily secure. “The bottom line is quite thin,” she said.

“It has allowed us to spend faster on the buildings, have the follies restored.” In the pipeline is a Tutankhamun centenary event in 2022, 100 years after the 5th Earl of Carnarvon, with Howard Carter, discovered the tomb that revolutionised our understanding of Egyptology. Another opportunity to keep Highclere in the public mind is the 300th anniversary of the birth of Lancelot “Capability” Brown, who designed the grounds. “What you do is never sit on your laurels. Every single day, don’t take anything for granted,” said Lady Carnarvon. “For all these great houses, you have to invest in them. And there has been a deficit since the 1930s. Perhaps in the past an estate and house defined and supported the family and their lifestyle, but today it is quite the reverse: the challenge is how Geordie and I seek to support and look after Highclere. “From my point of view, I’ve tried to persuade people it is fun, and have specific events they can engage with, not just a wander around a dusty house. We have to compete with attractions like the London Dungeon.”

Question: The TV series `Downton Abbey' was filmed largely at which stately house?
Answer: HIGHCLERE